Venezuela's Congress orders food minister sacked over shortages

CARACAS, April 28 (Reuters) - Venezuela's
opposition-dominated Congress on Thursday ordered the dismissal
of Food Minister Rodolfo Marco over chronic shortages of staple
goods that have become the primary complaint about President
Nicolas Maduro's government.

The opposition majority used a constitutional censure vote
to order that Maduro dismiss Marco. Legislators had previously
summoned him for questioning over the shortages, but he declined
to appear.

"It cannot be that today in Venezuela, 3 million citizens
eat less than twice a day, and the majority of them do not eat
dairy, meat or eggs," said opposition deputy Carlos Paparoni.

The ruling Socialist Party may simply ignore the censure
vote or seek to have it shot down by the Supreme Court, which
has routinely sided with Maduro in disputes with Congress since
the opposition's legislative elections victory in December.

Responding earlier this month to congressional criticism of
Marco, Maduro said "nobody touches the food minister" and that
"the revolution will not be censured by anyone, much less an
immoral National Assembly," according to local media reports.

The growing difficulties in obtaining staple goods has
helped spur the opposition's efforts to seek a recall of Maduro.

A combination of food shortages and electricity rationing
contributed to dozens of incidents of looting around the country
on Tuesday and Wednesday. Maduro attributed that violence to
right-wing conspirators seeking to destabilize his government.

He has criticized the assembly for continuing to hold
sessions despite an executive order that the public sector
should work only on Mondays and Tuesdays, to save power.

Residents in the Caracas slum of Petare this month said they
are eating more starches and skipping meals because they cannot
find food or cannot afford to buy what is available.
(Reporting by Brian Ellsworth; Editing by Matthew Lewis)